Moving target apparatus



Nov. 10, 1953 J. T. FLORY 2,658,759

MOVING TARGET APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l I/vv/vToR-Ll/CIEN J. 7. FLOR) @WWW Nov. 10, 1953 J FLORY 2,658,759

MOVING TARGET APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR-LUC/EN J. 7. FLoR 1953 L. J. T. FLORY 2,658,759

MOVING TARGET APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN l/EA/TOR:

Lad/EN J T FLOR) @"XW WAZW Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES MOVINGTARGET APPARATUS Lucien Jean Thodore Flory, Rocheville, FranceApplication May 15, 1951, Serial No. 226,358

Claims.

The present invention relates generally to movable targets as used inknown fashion for the practice of shooting on decoys and adapted toreproduce substantially actual condition as are encountered duringnormal shooting when the real bird takes off or flies away.

Devices have already been proposed which reproduce the irregular pathfollowed on the ground by game such as hares, roebucks or like animals,said devices being so constructed as to drive a lure along apredetermined course. In the case of decoy birds, devices have also beenproposed which throw into the air a target constituted for example by aclay bird.

The last-named type of device presents a number of disadvantages firstbecause as the target is thrown freely into the air, its path can nolonger be altered after it has left the ground so that said path isinevitably rectilinear which seldom corresponds to real conditionsencountered in actual shooting and second because the speed of thethrown target has its maximum value at the beginning of its path when itis hurled up and then gradually decreases whereas a living bird ratherflies quicker and quicker after having taken flight off the ground.

It is an object of the invention to remedy these disadvantages of theknown type of movable targets or decoys and to provide an improvedmovable target capable of being guided both in elevation and in azimuthduring its travel so as to move in a non-rectilinear path.

Another object of the invention is to provide a movable target or decoyfor practising shooting on artificial birds the speed of whichprogressively increases from the moment when this target leaves theground until the point of its path when the decoy is assumed to havereached its normal flying speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved target ordecoy movable both in elevation and. in azimuth the travelling speed ofwhich may be altered at will while simulating accelerations of theflight of a living bird.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a movable targetdevice of the aforesaid type comprising means for automaticallycontrolling the motions in elevation and in azimuth of the target ordecoy along the desired non-rectilinear path or trajectory, the controlmeans be- 0 ing such that several different trajectorie are availablefor the operator of the device, whereby the hunter cannot know inadvance the decoy path or trajectory represented by the target andactual conditions as encountered in real shooting practice are thus moreor less reproduced.

PATENT OFFICE With these and such other objects as will incidentallyappear hereafter, the invention comprises the novel construction andcombination of parts that will now be described, with reference to theaccompanying diagrammatic drawings exemplifying the same and forming apart of the present disclosure.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view partly in section. of the base structureof the target-moving de-.

vice.

tion of the target.

Figure 4 is a front View of a constructional de-- tail of the basestructure of the target device.

Figure 5 is an edge view of the device for con trolling the motion ofthe target.

Figures 6 and 7 are detail views in a plane normal to the plane of Fig.8 showing two companion;

discs of the controlling device.

Figure 8 is a diagram of the wiring serving;

the entire target-moving device.

As illustrated by Fig. 1, the target-moving device for practisingshooting on decoys comprises: according to the invention a pair ofhollow posts I from the upper ends of which extend guiding cables orrails 2 which are inclined and anchored to the ground at their distalends by pegs 3. Adequate steadiness of the posts I is ensured by meansof tensioning cables or guys 4 extending in a direction opposite to thatof the guiding cables 2 and anchored to the ground by pegs 5.

Between the guiding cables or rails 2 is interposed a carrier cable 6arranged transversely thereof and capable of sliding by jockey pulleys 9attached to its ends on the guiding cables 2 while remaining parallel.Upon the carrier cable 6 is mounted a target I which can slide along thecable 6 and to which are secured the ends of a pair oftraction-transmitting cables 8. Cables 8 pass through guides or jockeypulleys 9 which serve to move the carrier cable 6 along the guidingcables 2 first upwardly toward the upper ends of the hollow posts I andthen downwardly to a position adjacent the ground, and back along theground to a pit ID in which said cables 8 are wound upon winches I I.

As shown by Fig. 1, the posts I are provided adjacent their upper andlower ends with bent portions I2 which form guides facilitating movement of the cables 8 through the posts I. The target I (Fig. 3) whichmay receive for example 5 a decoy such as a clay bird is slidably fittedupon the carrier cable 6 through the medium of slid 3 ing sleeves I3.The cables 8 have one of their ends secured to spaced eyelets I4provided on the target 1.

Each of the jockey pulleys 9 for the tractiontransmitting cables 8 (seeFig. 4) comprises a base plate l5 upon which are journalled threegrooved rollers l6 engaging the guiding cable 2, one of these rollersbeing rendered adjustable by means of a screw-threaded: stem I! and anut [8 cooperating with a lug l9 on the base plate l5 so as to permitthe braking action of the rollers l5; upon the guiding cable 2 to bevaried atwill, The. carrier cable 6 is connected at its ends to each j ypu 9 y a p n 211.: and th iplate. l=.5.:-. carries a curved guide 2| fortheengagementofi the traction cable 8 which passes throughit.

In the pit it which is dug in the ground substantially intermediate theanchoring pegs..3.of;1 the guiding cables 2 and between these anchoringnes nd. he.-- hev insi an a e. ar an ed= w potter units-. ae wt high. eets omnr s a winch. l l, an,.el ectric m otor 2 2. anda-batteryla. Uppnthe winch I} is. wound; asabove stated the and f he rattiunl abletv nnsite o s. ndise vrgdmq' hs a se f Adv nt se usl he elec-. tric motor 22is mounted upon agirderirameid. in which is journalled the winchli i Thedriving stress is imparted .tqthe .winch. l from the motor 22throughasproclgetwheel ,2 5 fastupon theshaft. of the motor 22 and connected bya sprocket chain t setti t tke Wheel. 2 11 s ronv t ha thaWi Qh-i hel tic eter 2: h assgtia editha e i h; an. le t ma netic. switch 28 thepurpose of which is indicatedhereafter.

Eathw t-unit s wnnected oacommen control stati'on arranged on. theshooting stand, for example to themeanoithe hunters position. Thiscontrol station comprises a frameifi in .which; is. l t sllt ia. ha t}?!srminatin in a r nlt and ar vins a irally. led d i ng. spr 32 one end ofwhich is fastened ..to.the frame:29. A. attli tsga i. s p vi ed, i nlsha t; hand is combined with a lever;(not shown). permitting. hesa aeQbe-sQ t i peds t un nd th sp in nd atedh rta tep p n thesh .1 Y mutaed. hr ugh i he medium of f ee 1 wheel clutch a pro ketpinionfiglonnected by a sc l;- mpha ic 1 m simi ar pin ona tup n a la haft 1 whltarrie further n n. 33 .cone

nested in turn .by a sproclget chain .33.to.a.spr,ock-. U

t hee 9 st l n n a-sha t .M Jour a -1 d inv th ram 1 h ha t. ha s ey dheretca p1 a v Qi, O lF3 tQr; 3 dis r butedpairw s on two separatepartsof the. shaft .A l which .are nterc ml t anin u tin c u l n 44..The. discs 42;, it-.are. made of. conductive metai and; insulatingelements are. set into. their peripheryv soa s .to. deiine alternatecontactingzones .42.! isolating -zonesAZZ-as-shown in. Figs. 6,.a nd .7

With the. discs. 42, 43 .co-operate brushes 45, 45,, mounted. upon.aninsulating. bar 41. These. brushes are, connected. by. leactla asLhereinafter; es ibed.- Qn -Qtins..studs.assw atedw h, a elec in nd1disri ut n ;tum b t he. pfli' l fllr lfifis f h 0- sets fa is s-tdz, 4.3-.are. differently. distributed upon; each, disc.

Th perati n: f; h ontrol ati n a easily understood from, thewiringdiagram shown.

i w A l strated,ct e positive pole-0f h att r .3 v ss en e ttd by a eadtt t e-mo or 22 through ;the;switch;-.23.,to. which is connected a ee-9:2 e z tend na; m he aft 41 :made t conductive material, The, negative,pole ot the atten .i l onn tt d r e the-mo es nrby-a a s 5a;. nd-.-threhai s d-lww th is qmmon 2 the two power units through a control switchlever 55 which permits the circuit to be selectively open or closedthrough the selecting cup member 50. The bottom of the cup member 50 isformed with recesses 56 through which project push rods 51 which closeor open electric contacts one stud of which is connected by the leads4'8 and: 491110 thev brushes 4.5, 46; Each. contact correspondingtoarecess 56 of the cupmember 50 is connected to a brush 45 and to a brush45 cooperating with a pair of discs 43, 42 which are operativelycombined and co-operate as stated hereafter.

The operationofthe device is as follows:

Assuming the transverse carrier cable 6 to have been brought back to.the position of the anchoring pegs 3' of'the guiding cables 2 and thetraction cablesfi to be unwound to the maximum extent and assumingmoreover the target to be on the groundandtobe for exampleconcealedlfrom the hunter who.is. then ontheshooting stand adjaoent thecontrol device, the spring ilz iswound up by .means orfithe crank 31-and is. held-in-tightened conditionby v the ratchet gear A rubber pellet59 (Fig. 8), is then thrown. into the cup member. 55 andsnaps haphazardinto. one of the recesses, 55. of. this. cupmember, while pressing thepushrod Elana therefore closing the corresponding contactslocatedadjacent said rod; The control circuit-isthenclosed, by pressing. downthe switchlever. 55.. The latter is adapted-to trip the ratchet gear33..into actionwhile closing the required control circuit. Whenthe leveris closed the brushes. 45, 46 which. correspondto that. particularrecess56in .which the rubber. pellet. 59, has snapped; are. connected. throughthe leaddil, the push,rod.,5.-7, the cup member 55, the

lever 55j.and.the-.-lead 51; to the negative poleof the. battery, 25..Whenthe .ratchet gear. has .been

tripped the spring- 32, imparts rotationto the.

shaft. 4|. and. consequently tothediscslz, it

When the brushes. t5, 46.,are onaconductive zone. of ,the. peripheryof,thesediscs (such as the zones.

45.2.! of. the: discs, 42, shown in Figs. .64 I and 7) which areassociated withthe brushes fed fromv the. recess. 5.6 which contains.the. pelletfi 9 .a. dual circuit is. completed from the negativepole ofthe battery and through these discs .42, .43, the. shaft.

41,,thc; leads 52,- the switch.2 8andbackto the positive pole. of thebatteries. Conversely, these circuits are open whenever. aninsulatingzone of.

the: discs 2,133. (such as the zone..422. ondisc 63 shown .in,F,ig. 7)angularly comes. into-registra-.

tionwithits brushes. 55,- 46... When .the circuits: under, considerationare .closed, .the. switches 28.. then feedthe motors. 2.2 which drive.thewinches.

Handpull up and ,wind,. thei.traction cables 8;.-

The conductive zones andtheinsulating zones are differently, distributed.foreach .disc. of. apair of, companion discs d2, 33 suchas.thediseshown.

in Figsfi and ,7, i.v e.;.co.-.operating. with the brushes. 45,. 45,connectedt one. andthesame push rod However. the distribution. of.saidv zones .is.

57. pteferablysuchthat at least;one.,motor feeding circuit .is, alwayscompleted. during a..rotationa1. cycleofithe discsfi iz, .43. Whenonlyonecircuit islcompletedone winch.-l l is revolved. by the cor-sresponding motor. 22- so that thebtarget J is pulled by one-.,-eable.,8and is shifted along .thecarrier cable fiatowardstheone. or the otherof. th y, pulleys.-9, the carrier cable Btbeing ;slowly:: drawntowardthe upper ends oftherposts. I owing to thereductionof thetotallength ofunwoundtrace tion cable. ;8- assuming-both .cables- 8 ;-tobe= -joint1yconsidered; Conversely, when bothieeding cir cuits of the motor 22 areclosed, the winding of the two cables 3 shifts the target Isubstantially parallel to the guiding cables 2. Taking into account theacceleration of the speed of rotation of the motors 22 when they beginto rotate, it will be understood that the target 5 performs a path alongan irregular line while undergoing progressive accelera ions whichcorrespond to the flying conditions of a living bird.

It will be easily understood that the distribution of the conductivezones and insulating zones on the discs 42, d3 varies for each pair ofdiscs and that in each case a different path or trajectory is thusimparted to the target I, said path being determined haphazard among arange of possibilities depending upon the recess 56 into which therubber pellet 59 has snapped so that the hunter can never foretell thetrajectory of the flying target or decoy and thus experiencescircumstances more or less similar to those of actual shooting on livingbirds.

Minor constructional details may be varied without departing from thescope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A target practice device reproducing the take off and the flight of aliving bird, comprising a pair of spaced posts, two inclined parallelguiding cables taut between the top of said posts and the ground, a pairof jockey pulleys slidably mounted on said cables, a transverse carriercable connected at each end to said jockey pulleys, a target slidablymounted on said transverse carrier cable, a pair of tractiontransmitting cables, winding means for each traction transmitting cable,power means combined with each winding means, each traction-transmittingcable being secured at one end to said target and being guided to thetop of said posts and wound at the other end on said winding means, andmeans for selectively controlling said power means so as separately tocontrol said Winding means and to drive said target along a sinuous pathaccording to the differential action resulting from the operation ofsaid winding means, the hunter standing at such a position that thetarget flies away from him as said power means are operated.

2. A target practice device comprising a pair of spaced posts, twoinclined parallel guiding cables taut between the top of said posts andthe ground, a pair of jockey pulleys slidably mounted on said cables, atransverse carrier cable connected at each end to said jockey pulleys, atarget slidably mounted on said transverse carrier cable, a pair oftraction-transmitting cables, a pit, a pair of winches mounted in saidpit, a pair 'of electric motors for operating said winches, eachtractiontransmitting cable being secured at one end to said target,being guided along said carrier and guiding cables to the top of saidposts and being wound at the other end on one of said winches, a sourceof electric energy for supplying current to said motors, switching meansinserted between said source and said motors, and control means foroperating said switching means so as separately to control the operationof said electric motors and winches associated therewith and to drivesaid target along a sinuous path according to the differential actionresulting from said control, the hunter standing at such a position thatthe target flies away from him as said motors are operated.

3. A target practice device comprising a pair of spaced posts, twoinclined parallel guiding cables taut between the top of said posts andthe ground, a pair of jockey pulleys slidably mounted on said cables, atransverse carrier cable connected at each end to said jockey pulley, atarget slidably mounted on said transverse carrier cable, a pair oftraction-transmitting cables, a pit, a pair of winches mounted in saidpit, a pair of electric motors for operating said winches, eachtractiontransmitting cabl being secured at one end to said target, beingguided along said carrier and guiding cables to the top of said postsand being wound at the other end on one of said winches, a source ofelectric energy for supplying current to said motors, a pair of switchesinterposed between said source and said motors, a shaft made up of twoparts angularly rigid with each other, an insulating element interposedbetween said parts, pairs of collector discs keyed on said parts of theshaft, conducting and insulating zones provided at the periphery of saidcollector discs, brushes pressed against said peripheral zones of thediscs, a selector device, and conductors leading from said source ofelectric energy to said switches through said selector device and saidcollector discs of each pair to form control circuits, a switch and acollector disc of each pair being series connected in each circuit, andthe circuits including the two discs of a pair being connected inparallel, so that the target is driven along a sinuous path which isdefined by the combination of the peripheral zones of each disc of apair.

4. A target practice device according to claim 3, wherein the selectordevice comprises a cup member, recesses provided in the bottom of saidcup member, push rods projecting within said recesses, and carrying acontact member at their lower end, pairs of contacts arranged in frontof said contact members of the push rods, each contact of a pair beingconnected to a brush pressed against a collector disc of a pair, so thatboth discs of a pair are electrically operative when a push rod isdepressed, and a ball removably located in said cup member for nestingitself into one of said recesses for depressing a push-rod and closingtwo control circuits including both discs of a pair so as separately toswitch in each electric motor.

5. A target device according to claim 4, wherein the peripheralconducting and insulating zones are differently distributed from onedisc to the other disc of the same pair and also from one pair of discsto the other pair.

LUCIEN JEAN "I'HEODORE FLORY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,135,667 Johnson Nov. 8, 1938 2,290,297 Smith July 21, 1942FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 560,464 Great Britain 1944

